Selective dumping device for bucket conveyers



n '1636 20 M 19 19-2-:7 `w. R, EpmNGToN y SBLBUTIVE DUIPING DEVICE FOR BUCKET COHVEYRS lFiled Auk. 5, 1924 Patented July 19k, 1927.

UNITEDV STAT-Es WILLIAM E. EDDINGTQM OEMORGAN, TAH, Assronon 0E 'ONE-HALE To THE MOR- GAN CANNING COMPANY, 0E MORGAN, UTAH, A conronATIo'N 0E UTAH.

sELEcTIvE DUMrINov DEVICE Eon BUCK-ET coNvnYEite.

Application'mea August 5, 1924,.Y Serial` No. 730,279.

This invention relates to a` selective dumping device i'or conveyors, particularly torthe swinging bucket conv-eyer 'forming vthe subject of U. S. Patent; 1,342.789, granted to James A. Anderson, l une 8, 1920. ln thc said patent is shoivn a selective dumping device for the buckets, but the present one more liexible, more convenient,7 and less eX- nensive than the other.

The principal objects ofthe present invention are to provide :v

First. Means 'for automatically influencing the actions o'l' the buckets of a Aconveyor in. several selective Ways, for ,instancefA (c) To dump every bucket passing a certain point.

(b) To dump every alternate bucket passing a certain point,

(c) To allow all thebuckets lo pass a 20 certain `point Without dumpinsl;` anyof them.

Second. To render the device adjustable, so that it may beL placed at various points along v the line of travel of the conveyer.

Third. A device which. shall be simple,

not liable tol get out ot order, and beeasily attended to b v .gence land skill. l y Fourth. Re economical in cost of manufacture and installation. andbe easily applicable to existing convcyers.

ln 'attaining the objects out-lined above, an oscillating cam is providedilior engaging the projecting studs ofthe bucketsreferred toin the Anderson patent above mentioned.

In the specification. oft this patent, theconveyer buckets are described having studs projecting 'trom ,the ksides of the buckets, which engage a so-called righting mechapersons of ordinary intellinism, the purpose of which is to changethe lapping position of two buckets adjacent each other, that isto say, one bucket has -a front lip overlapping therrea'r lip of `the nekt bucket, o'rgvice versa, and `the purpose of the righting inechanism'is to'cause areversal of this `lapping position. Y V

In the present invention, theseV bucket studs are made use yoi in theV dumping operattiene..

The oscillatingcain of'the present device.. has areal' portion and a `front portion, .and is 'arranged for limiting the 4extent otitis oscillations. The cam, relatively to the approaching buckets, is so placed, that in One position of the cam, a portion thereojt shall engage ay studof everyliucket ina Way that,

mentioned bucket inpassing over the cam.,

is arrangedto leave the` latter in such a position 4thatfthe "next oncoming, or second bucket, shall notbe' engaged to dump, A out, on the contrary, the studshall engage the cam at an entirelydill'erent' point, and, by Vsuch engagement, the travel of ythe bucke'y shall return the cam to its' Iirst position, thereb'y placing itin readiness to again engage the next, lor third oncoming bucket. This third bucket is engaged by the cam exactly in the Samein'anner as ivasf the first bucket, and in passing over the cam, this third bucket againl leaves the cam in a non-,tilting` position, thus allowing the next, or fourth bucket, to 'pass unaffected, andllly contacting the cam to again place it in they tilting position. .The cycle described may be repeated indefiniteljlf. "Inthethjird selective position', the cam is so positioned, thatdnobuck'et at all is engaged for tilting by the calm'. but the cam simply allows tliebucket to pass'over it;v

The cam is usually pivoted at the end ot af comparatively kshort bar. portion, mountei on a carriage, which also `supports the previously 'mentioned'v spilling cam, Thislcarriage: may be adjustably positioned at any desired point along thefdumping plane of the conveyerfa'nd vmay ybe'rigidly clamped 'thereto by any suitable means.

section.

Fig. 3, a transverse vertical section on line 3-3, Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 and 5, a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, and a. fragmentary plan, respectively, drawn to an enlarged scale, and showing details more clearly.

Fig. 6, a minor detail.

Referring to the drawing, 10 represents beams extending longitudinally along the sides of the line of travel of the conveyer. These beams may be of wood or other suitable material, and may support the channel rails 12, the latter constituting guides for the rollers 13 of the usual conveyer chains 16. The rollers are mounted on the axles 14, which support the swinging buckets 15, 151, and so on. The spilling cam 17, having the ramp 40, is arranged in accordance with the Anderson patent, though its mounting in this instance, instead of being rigid with .regard to the conveyer framework, is made adjustable, as will presently be explained in detail. The structure so far described, is designed to be arranged generally, in accordance with the Anderson patent, excepting that the bucket lugs and trippers mentioned therein, are omitted in this instance.

My improved selective dumping device, as applied to this structure, comprises the-bar 18, mounted on the standards 19, the latter forming integral parts of the frame 20. Other standards 21 also form integral parts of the frame 20, and support the spilling cam 17.

A clamping frame 25, slidable along the guide anO'les 26, is provided with the centrally disposed threaded pin 24, rigidly fastened in the frame 25. Outstanding lugs 27 of the frame 25, rest on the horizontal legs of the angles 26, and may be drawn down tightly against these legs by means of the hand wheel 28, which is threaded on the pin 24. rihe pin 24 extends loosely through the frame 20, so that in tightening the hand wheel 28 against the frame 20, the frame 25 will bear downwardly, while the frame 2O is simultaneously forced upwardly thereby clamping the carriage which is made up of the two frames 2O and 25, in place between the lower .faces of the beams 10 and the upper faces of the horizontal legs of the angles 26. The carriage thus supports the bar 18 and the spilling cam 17, in fixed relation to each. other, and the carriage may be adjustably moved along the conveyer track. rThe bar 18, at its end which faces the direction of travel of the conveyer, carries the arm or cam 30, pivoted at 31. This cam is slotted at 32concentrically with the pivot 31, and the slot, in conjunction with the pin 34 stationary in the bar 18, limits the angular movement of the cam. The cam 3() has the upper rear engagingl portion 35, the lower rear engaging portion 36, and the for-- ward engaging portion 37, all these engaging port-ions, in the various selective positions, being arranged to contact the bucket studs 38.

The cam 30 has two principal positions, one, shown by the full lines in Fig. 2, and the other by the full lines in Fig. 4, the former being the position in which the cam causes no buckets to tilt, and the latter, the position where all the buckets are caused to tilt. In F 4, the stud 38 of the bucket 15 has just contacted the portion 37 of the cam, and is shown slightly tilted. As the conveyer moves forward in the direction of the arrow, the bucket travels accordingly, and

`its boss 39, contacting the portion 35 of the cam, bears down on this part, and owing to the weight of the conveyer chains and buckA ets, depresses the rear part of the cam 30, thereby causing the forward part-37 to rise, carrying with it the stud 38 and tilting the bucket 15 to approximately the extent indicated by the dotted lines. ln the tilted position, which is maintained by means of the bar 18, the bucket is ready to engage the ramp 40 of the spilling cam, which latter functions as specified in the Anderson patent. In passing over the cam 30, the bucket leaves the same in the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 4, and if no means is exercised to change the position of thc cam, it remains in that position, being balanced on the pivot 31.

rhe next bucket 15, in approaching, has its stud 38 below the level of the front part of the cam 30, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, where the stud 38 is almost in contact with the portion 36. As the bucket 151v continues to move forward, the stud 38 engages the earn portion 36, thereby elevating thc rear part of the cani 30, and leaving it in the original position. indicated by full lines in Fig. 4. The bucket 151r has thus passed the cam without being affected by it but on the contrary, has itself changed the position of the cani, and continues on its course with the load therein undisturbed. The cam 30 has now been left in the position where it will engage, and cause the tiltingr of, the next oncoming, or third bucket, and this third bucket will act in precisely the same manner as the [irst bucket, again leaving the cam in the non-tilting position for the fourth bucket. Reversal in the positions of the cam takes place automatically, and con-v sequently tilts every alternate bucket.

Now, if the cam 30 were left constantly iu the position shown by the full lines in Fig. 2. no passing buckets at all, would be dumped, While if the cam were left constantly in the position shown lby the full lines in Fig. 4, every passing bucket would be dumped. In order to hold the cam nor mally in either of these two positions when so desired, a weight 41 of suitable size, may be suspended from a cord 42, and the latter accesso be providedwitha hooki.` Thisihook. may

be placed int-he eyebolt 45, or in the hole 46 of the cam 30. lfthe hook is placed in the lirst position, the weight- 41, indicated-by the dotted lines `in Fig. 2, Awill normally `hold the rcam in the non-tilting position, while, if the hookl is placed .inthe hole'llt, the weight Zll, indicated bv dotted lines in Fig el, will hold the cam normally in position for tilting kall the buckets.

rlhe weight i-1 shouldibe suiiiciently.large to returnthe cam to the desired normal-po-V sition afterthe saine has` been. displaced by a passingbucket stud. K Y L The utilityl of this invention is not confined to bucket conveyors, but extends toany traveling conveyors having carrying units which may be .selectiifvely` tilted. t-lieactuation ofthe oscillating cani having the initialy engaging portion 35,1and the subsequent engaging portion 37, as herein disclosed.

While a specific embodiment of this invent-ion is herein shown and described, it is to be clearly understood that the detailed parts thereof, may, or may not, be shown in the preferred forms, and further, that the preferred forms may be varied from time to time, as the development of this invention and the arts with which it is identified, progress.

Therefore, that which forms an essential and characteristic part of this invention, will be readily discernible from the claims in which its spirit is generalized. `V

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In combination with a traveling con veyer having spilling moans and buckets arranged to selectively engagethe said spillingineans, an oscillating cani having portions for selectively causing the said buckets to engage the said spilling means, and means for selectively positioning the said cani.

2. In combination with a traveling conveyor having` carrying units arranged to engage a spilling device, an oscillating cam positioned along the path of said units, means for actuating said cani by a passing unit, and means whereby the said actuation of the cam shall cause said units to engage the said spilling mechanism.

3. In combination with a traveling conveyer having swinging carrying units, an oscillating cam having an initial engaging portion and a subsequent engaging portion, means for automaticallypositioning the said cam, and meanswhereby select-ed carrying units in passing the said cani, shall respectively engage, and be engaged by, the said initial and subsequent engaging portions.

il. In combination With a traveling conveyer having spilling means and buckets arranged to selectively engage the said spilling means, of an oscillating cani having portions for selectively causing the said bucketsto engagethe said spilli-ng means, means for selectively positioning the saidV cam, a carriage movable along the line of travel of the said conveycr. andfn'ieans lfor. operatively mounting the said spilling meansfand the said camupon the said carriage. n

5. A Vplurality -of ybuckets `arranged to travel in a` line, ari-oscillating cam having a front portion, an upper rear `portionrand-a lower yrear portion arranged in the .line of travel of the said buckets so thatftlie said upper-rear portion =in one .position of the said cam, shallengage one of theoncomingV said buckets,fthe said front yportion inerti be caused to ltilt the said one bucket, the c id cam be left in another position bythe-passing of ythe said one bucket, the saidi lower rear portion be thereby positioned.for .engagement byitheneXt oncomingbucket id the saidl cambeleftin the said lirstrpositlon by the passing of thefsaid next bucket.

6. In combination witha traveling conveyer having buckets, an oscillating memberhaving cam portions selectively arranged in proximity to the path of ysaid buckets, a engaging member on each bucket positioned for engagement bythe said cam portions, and means for selectively positioning the said oscillating member.

arranged transversely to the line of travel thereof, buckets with hubs arranged to swing on the said axle` pins, lugs projecting from the buckets transversely to the line of travel thereof, a carriage movable along 'the said conveyer and an oscillating cam mounted on said' carriage, said cam having` engaging portionsv arranged for select-ive'pd sitioning in the pathway of the said hubs and the said lugs.

9. A traveling conveyer having swinging buckets, amovable carriage with an oscillating cam mounted thereon'and arranged inV the path of said buckets, engaging members on each bucket positioned 'to be actuated by portions of the said cam for 'selectively tilting the buckets or not tilting them, at points in the travel thereof, and means for normally holding the cam in a selected position.

10. A traveling conveyer having swinging buckets, an oscillating cam arranged to engage the said buckets at a point in the path thereof, the oscillating cam having an upper rear portion, a lower rear port-ion and a. front portion, sald portions arranged to engage the said buckets, and means for selectively positioning the cam in such a manner that diilerent predetermined eifects may result from the engagement of said cam portions with said buckets.

ll. A traveling conveyer, having swing ing buckets, an oscillating cam arranged in proximity to the path of the buckets, means for limiting the extent of oscillation o'l the cam, and means for placing the cam normallyin any one ot several positions to cause any one of the effects named following: to tilt every bucket passing a certain point9 to tilt every other bucket passing a certain point, to tilt none of the buckets passing a certa-in point.

12. A traveling conveyer having axle pins arranged transversely to the direction ot travel thereof, buckets arranged to swing on the axle pins, aXle hubs, projecting outward ly from the buckets, said hubs having cani actuating portions, lugs projecting outwardly from the buckets and having cani actuating port-ions in the same plane as the cam actuating portions of the hubs, the lugs being spaced apart from the axle hubs in the swinging plane, a longitudinal bar arranged lto pass between the axle hubs and the lugs ot' each bucket in the normal carrying position of the buckets, a cam pivoted to the bar and adjustable to positions wherein engaging portions of the said cam Will be presented to the hub, to the lug, or to the hub and the lug, means for limiting the 1novement of the cam, and means for automatically positioning the cam in selected positions.

In testimony whereof, I sign my naine hereto.

W. R. EDDINGTON. 

